Star Wars_ Death Star - Michael Reaves [122]
A harsh fate for such a lovely and brave young woman as this Princess apparently was. He had seen only a hint of fear in her as she passed; that she was willing to resist Vader to the extent of requiring such extreme measures indicated a fortitude Uli doubted that he himself possessed.
He was outraged by the thought of such barbarism being practiced by the Empire, although not particularly surprised. But he knew there was nothing to be done about it. To protest the actions of the Emperor’s whip would do her absolutely no good, and no doubt result in his own immediate imprisonment. He could finally get his discharge from the medical wing of the Imperial Navy, although it would likely be a discharge from this plane of existence as well. He shook his head and looked at 4ME-O. “Were you looking for me?”
“Indeed. Dr. Hotise wishes to discuss the overages in last month’s supply budget with you.”
Uli nearly groaned aloud, but the thought of the young woman in the cell made him feel somewhat ashamed of himself. She was facing far more than a bureaucratic upbraiding about expenditures.
He followed the droid around the corner. What a shame. She was so young, so lovely. She reminded him, somehow, of Barriss.
CELL 2187, BLOCK AA, DETENTION LEVEL, DEATH STAR
Vader, accompanied by three black-clad and helmeted technicians, entered the cell where Leia Organa was being held. He had hoped that she would have become more tractable after her capture. But she had remained silent. Her choice. She would regret it.
Behind him the interrogator droid followed. It was a crude tool, a blunt instrument compared with the subtlety and precision possible with the Force; however, Princess Leia’s mind was too strong to easily manipulate, even with the power of the dark side at his beck and call. It was possible that he could wrest the knowledge from her, but he might end up destroying the very information he sought. She would force him to burn her brain to a husk before she would willingly part with the data—of that he had no doubt.
However, after being subjected to the tender mercies of the device floating behind him for a time, her mind should be a bit more … pliable.
Now and then, one had to make do with the tools available, however crude they might be.
The chamber’s door slid up, revealing the Princess sitting on a platform in the mostly bare room. Vader and two of the techs entered. The third waited outside in the corridor.
“And now, Your Highness, we will discuss the location of your hidden Rebel base,” Vader told her.
As the interrogator droid floated in behind him, Vader saw her defiant expression falter. He felt her fear as the machine approached her.
Good …
He heard the door slam down behind them.
But, after half an hour, despite the truth drugs, electrical shocks, and other inducements he had administered, it was evident that her resistance had not been lowered enough for him to probe her mind. That was surprising.
She was physically weakened and in considerable pain, but her mind remained shielded. She had revealed nothing.
Most unusual for anyone except a Jedi to have such control, he mused.
He kept his anger and frustration under tight rein, letting none of it show. He had other matters that required his attention—for now.
“We are not done here,” he told her. To one of the technicians he said, “Have a medic attend to her.”
The technician said, “But isn’t she sentenced to die?”
“When I decide it is time,” Vader said. “If she is not alive and well until that moment, I will hold you personally responsible.”
The tech grew visibly paler. Vader swept by him and out of the chamber.
MEDCENTER, DEATH STAR
Uli couldn’t stop thinking about the imprisoned Princess. Something about her touched him, somehow.
As he left Hotise’s office, he told himself that there was no point in thinking about her. Most